1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to methods and systems for assisting individuals who are using computer applications. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and systems that enable a person to simulate certain functions of a computer application in order to help a second person use that application.
2. Background Art
Many companies provide individuals, or “help desks,” to help people use computer application programs. Helping these people use these programs can be complicated if use of the program is restricted or if certain aspects of the program are secure or confidential. On the one hand, it is desirable that the helper have access to as much information and to as many of the application functions as is necessary in order for that person to provide the needed help. On the other hand, in order to maintain security and confidentiality, it is desirable to minimize the amount of secure and confidential information provided to the helper.
A case in point is the WOI (Web Order and Invoice) application, which is an Internet accessible application developed and hosted by the International Business Machines, Corp. (IBM). This application is secured via the HTTPS protocol. Access to the WOI application is authorized by IBM procurement to a supplier of IBM. Employees of the supplier can then enroll for access to WOI for only those IBM supplier numbers that represent that supplier's company. The supplier employee enrollment applications are approved by an employee of the supplier company.
When the WOI coordinator employed by the IBM supplier approves the other supplier employee enrollment requests, the coordinator is not only granting access to the WOI application for that employee, he is granting access to a specific list of IBM supplier numbers that together represent the IBM suppliers and also giving that employee a specific role(s) assignment. The role(s) assignments are part of the WOI application to facilitate a separation of duties at the supplier. The available WOI roles are AR (Accounts Receivable), Sales (Sales Order Processing) and WOI T&Cs Accept (Accept WOI Application Terms and Conditions).
Given the complexity of the WOI authorization scheme to documents of a specific business nature (Purchase Orders, Invoice, Credits, Invoice Rejects, Remittance Advices and WOI T & C Conditions) by individual IBM supplier numbers that make up a Supplier's Company, a technique of simulation of the end user's view of the data to an employee of the WOI help desk is needed.